CW for police violence 

In May 1968, a political and social crisis engulfed France during its thirty glorious years. In the streets of Paris, students demanded sweeping reforms. Journalists from Actualités Françaises filmed police violence against them as well as demonstrations by extremist groups. These images did not pass censorship and were not broadcast to the public at the time. Why were they banned? How did they contradict the official narrative? The Boîte noire collection, produced by INA and Lumni Enseignement, reveals footage that has long been unknown to the public because it was censored or excluded from newsreels. 

Historical context 

By Jean-Clément Martin Borella (History and culture journalist) 

In May 1968, France was in turmoil. Thousands of students and workers were demanding liberalization of social mores and social reforms. This large spontaneous movement united diverse groups in a common rejection of paternalism, authority, and capitalism, in favor of the establishment of egalitarian relations. This desire for a fundamental break with the rigid structures of society worried the government, embodied by General de Gaulle, who had no intention of giving in to what he considered to be blackmail, fueled by strikes, blockades, and repeated demonstrations. After several weeks, the unions achieved social gains (wage increases, a commitment to reduce working hours, etc.) and the mobilization ran out of steam. At the end of June, the Gaullist party won the legislative elections by a large margin. Throughout this period, the French government sought to portray the protest movement in a disastrous light, claiming that its violence was causing real “chaos.” 

Les Actualités Françaises, the public newsreel company, broadcast selected footage and censored anything that might undermine the maintenance of order and the status quo. As a result, the French people did not see the brutal police repression of May 6, 1968, in Paris, where cameramen had captured images of protesters lying on the ground. 

French with EN, FR, NL subtitles

Via Globalinfo.nl